How is photorealistic rendering used as a tool?

“Vision is the art of seeing the invisible” Jonathan Swift

Any architectural project tells a story, a story that’s starts with pen and ink doodles and in today circles, at times ends with a powerful rendered image. During this process, the project is altered and modified by non-stop working on plans, elevations and sections until it has become mature enough to be rendered. Its at times like these when architects begin to ask themselves, what happens when this clear systematic process is played with and one part of this process is given a hierarchy above others and what does this effect a project?

Render by: Muhammad Taher

Today visuals in architecture tend to place most emphasis on photorealistic renderings. This trend has been assisted in its conception via softwares such as: 3Ds max, Rhino, Atlantis, Lumion, Maxwell …etc, which have become the most favourable for architects. Many architects see architectural rendering as a game changer especially when it comes to architectural competitions. Roger Sote, the design director of Houston office says that architectural rendering is “absolutely essential” for many design studios and architectural firms to win major architectural competitions. Through rendering, the project posses a featured render that will hopefully to stand out as powerful mean of visualization.

Render by: CG Architect

The positive aspect of architectural rendering, is that it provides the designer, client, or competition judge a chance to observe and examine the project appearing as though it has already been built. From a business standpoint, it is an excellent tool for clients who cannot relate to 2d images of plans and sections. Usually people understand 3D images better than 2D because their eyes are trained to understand and visually communicate better in 3D.

Render by: Karim Moussa Elramly

As much as architecture rendering has proven to be powerful and persuasive tool, how realistic and truthful are they? Many students as well as architects are falling into the trap of creating brilliant images yet these are completely detached from reality. Thus creating a distinction of where this tool should be used so that it doesn’t shift from being persuasive to deceptive level of perfection that doesn’t necessarily exist.